'Pippin' brings Broadway glamor to the DV stage

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MILFORD — Broadway came to Milford this past weekend, with the Delaware Valley High School Drama Club performance of “Pippin."

The production embraces struggle, war, love — and of course where would a good musical go without a little murder thrown in?

The lead character, Pippin was played by 11th grader Adam Tidridge, who had always wanted to be a singer. Three years ago he fell in love with the drama club. He intends to major in psychology at Bloomsburg University.

“We’ve been rehearsing since January every day after school from 3 p.m. till 6 p.m. and on Saturdays too," he said.

Band member Jason Feakins has been playing the trumpet since third grade and looks forward to continue his musical career.

Taylor Braunagel a member of the band, has been playing trombone since the 6th grade.

“I began band in the fifth grade for the sole reason of being different from other girls because none others would pick it up." When asked how others felt about her playing the trombone, she replied that she "is respected by (her) peers because they find (her) to be a multifaceted individual."

"Pippin" at DV was performed like true Broadway actors and actresses, with plenty of powerful singing and impressive acting.

"Pippin" was a long-running musical production that once romped on the stages of New York's Broadway. The show, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, premiered at the Imperial Theater on October 23, 1972, and ran for 1,944 performances before closing on June 12, 1977. Pippin is currently playing on Broadway again for the first time in 40 years.

DV's own retired music teacher, Kim Golden, is the musical's director for this eight-character production, with 31 band players, 19 in the “pit band,” as well as 17 stage and technical crew members.

Golden was a DV music teacher for 31 years and a volunteering musical director for the last three years.

DV's production was approximately two hours long, and all that time the rapt audience was amazingly quiet — except when bursting with laughter at funny moments in the play.

The DVHS Drama Club has been putting on performances every year since its 1984 performance of “Godspell."

Many in the audience, as they were leaving the show, said they looked forward to what’s coming in the future for the DVHS Drama Club. The next planned hit show is still top secret. You’ll just have to wait!